By Peter Sibon
KUCHING, Nov 15: State Legal Counsel Datuk Seri JC Fong has assured that his 69-year-old wife would not pose a security risk to anybody.
Fong, responding to Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong, who accused the wife of harassing her during the recent Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting, said his wife was at the DUN complex for a meeting with government officials.
He added that his wife possessed a proper visitor’s pass and did not trespass the complex as alleged.
“Let me clarify. She was in this building for a meeting with some government officials and later allowed to sit in the area of the Chambers reserved for the Speaker’s guests.
“She was not an intruder as she received the normal security clearance when she arrived with me. YB Violet’s complaint against my wife must be viewed in the light of the undisputed facts,” he told reporters at the DUN complex here today.
Fong also explained that his wife not a stranger to the Democratic Action Party (DAP) lawmaker.
According to him, Yong’s mother, the late Ong Teck Eng, was his staff for almost 20 years when he was in a private practice and that both their families were close.
“During that period and even after I joined the state government, Madam Ong and her husband were good friends of my wife and myself. Madam Ong made cookies and cakes for us for Chinese New Year and we visited each other during Chinese New Year.
“My wife and I first saw Violet when she was a teenager. I recalled that I acted as a ‘referee’ to support the application for Yayasan Sarawak student loan by either Violet or her sister, who is married to someone in Sandakan. That was done at the request of Violet’s mother.
“Therefore, my wife is not someone who is a total stranger to YB Violet. She must have immediately recognised my wife who wanted to have a conversation with her outside the Dewan’s Chambers,” he said.
Yong had urged the DUN complex management to improve security after she was confronted by Fong’s wife on the 8th floor of building following her debate speech on the state budget.
When debating the budget on Nov 6, Yong claimed Fong and his daughter to be involved in controversial business dealings.
However, DUN Speaker Datuk Amar Mohd Asfia Awang Nassar expunged Yong’s speech from the Hansard, citing that both Fong and his daughter were not present in the DUN chambers to defend themselves.
“It is therefore, most surprising that YB Violet should complain as if my wife, who is a 69-year-old grandma, was an alarming security risk to her.
“In any event that my wife tried to have a conversation with Yong, it was done in defence of her family members who have been wronged and insulted. That is expected of any good mother. I am sure Violet’s own mother would have done likewise in similar circumstances,” said Fong.
He also said that his daughter was a successful businesswoman on her own right.
“I don’t have anything to do with my daughter’s business. She worked for 14 years with CIMB Bank and before that, four years with Utama Merchant Bank.
“She owns a hotel and she owns a company, with products now sold all over the world for fashion shows in places like Paris, Edinburgh and so on,” he continued. — DayakDaily
